Universal adjustable ear tip

ABSTRACT

An audio device for insertion into an ear canal of a user that includes an adjustable ear tip. The ear tip is formed by a sleeve disposed on a body of the audio device with a first end of the sleeve coupled to an output end of the body. An opposite second end of the sleeve is coupled to a collar that encircles and threadably engages the body. In a retracted state, the sleeve lies alongside an exterior surface of the body. Rotation of the collar relative to the body moves the collar axially along the body and flexes the sleeve radially outward away from the body. An extent of rotation of the collar is selectable to provide a radial dimension of the sleeve and thus the ear tip that provides a suitable fit of the audio device with a user&#39;s ear canal.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/572,642, filed Oct. 16, 2017, the disclosure of whichis hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND

Wireless technologies and miniaturization of computer hardware haveexploded in recent years to enable a variety of new applications. Onesuch application is the wearable audio device or headphone. Traditionalwearable audio devices employed a pair of speakers tethered byrespective wires to a single headphone jack, which could be plugged intoan audio player or other device. Subsequent audio devices eliminated thewires tethering the speakers to the audio player moving instead to awireless communication system. Early wireless audio devices employed awired connection between speaker units, but more recent technologiesenable completely wireless and physically separate speaker units, whichcan be installed in or on the ear.

Both wired and wireless audio devices that are configured to besupported by or in the ear of the user have been provided in numerousforms that promote characteristics such as retention of the audio devicein the ear, comfort to the user, increased audio quality, and blockingor canceling of environmental noise. However, available audio devicesare unable to adequately adapt to the range of sizes of users' earsand/or ear canals without provision of multiple adaptors in varyingsizes that can be selectively coupled to the audio device by the userbased on the user's desired fit. For example, audio devices might beprovided with a set of ear tips in small, medium, and large sizes. Theuser must then select and apply a desired one of the ear tips to theaudio device to achieve a desired fit. These ear tips are generallysmall in overall size and can be easily lost and/or damaged, and theymay still fail to provide the fit desired by the user.

SUMMARY

Exemplary embodiments are defined by the claims below, not this summary.A high-level overview of various aspects thereof is provided here tointroduce a selection of concepts that are further described in theDetailed-Description section below. This summary is not intended toidentify key features or essential features of the claimed subjectmatter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine thescope of the claimed subject matter. In brief, this disclosure describesan in-ear audio device with an integral, adjustable ear tip.

The audio device, referred to interchangeably herein as an earbud, isconfigured for use by insertion at least partially into the ear canal ofa user and includes an output end through which an audio output isdirected and a base end opposite the output end. The earbud may includea bullet-like shape with the output end being positioned at the apex ofthe bullet shape. The earbud includes an ear tip sleeve comprised of apliable, resilient material that is disposed to cover at least a portionof the exterior surface of the earbud between the output end and thebase.

In a minimum size configuration or retracted state, the ear tip sleevelies alongside and/or against the surface of the earbud with a leadingedge thereof retained on the earbud at or near the output end. Atrailing edge of the ear tip sleeve is moveable axially along theexterior surface of the earbud toward the leading edge. Movement of thetrailing edge toward the leading edge causes the portion of the ear tipsleeve between the two edges to flex and expand or mushroom radiallyoutwardly from the earbud; the greater the movement of the trailing edgetoward the leading edge the greater the extent to which the ear tipsleeve flexes outward and the larger the overall diameter of the ear tipsleeve.

Movement of the trailing edge relative to the leading edge of the eartip sleeve can be provided by a tracked coupling between the ear tipsleeve and the body of the earbud such that rotation of the ear tipsleeve relative to the earbud causes axial movement of the trailingedge. In another embodiment, the trailing edge may be moved by slidingparallel to the axis of the earbud. One or more detents or stops may beprovided to indicate and/or maintain positions of the trailing edgealong the length of the earbud.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Illustrative embodiments are described in detail below with reference tothe attached drawing figures, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an illustrative view of a human ear;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional, block diagrammatic, view of an earbud withan adjustable ear tip sleeve depicting components disposed therein inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIGS. 3-5 are cross-sectional views of an earbud with an adjustable eartip sleeve depicted in retracted, intermediate, and fully expandedpositions in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIGS. 6-11 are perspective views of the earbud of FIGS. 3-5;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a watch configured as a charging devicewith receptacles for a pair of earbuds with adjustable ear tip sleevesdepicted in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a fitness tracker bracelet configuredas a charging device with receptacles for a pair of earbuds withadjustable ear tip sleeves depicted in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 14 is an illustrative view of an ear with an earbud with anadjustable ear tip sleeve disposed therein depicted in accordance withan exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an exemplary wired earbud that includesan adjustable ear tip sleeve depicted in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an earbud with adjustable ear tipsleeve configured with linear tracks for adjustment of the ear tipsleeve depicted in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an earbud with adjustable ear tipsleeve configured with tracks for adjustment of the ear tip sleeve thatfollow a stepwise path depicted in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The subject matter of select exemplary embodiments is described withspecificity herein to meet statutory requirements. But the descriptionitself is not intended to necessarily limit the scope of claims. Rather,the claimed subject matter might be embodied in other ways to includedifferent components, steps, or combinations thereof similar to the onesdescribed in this document, in conjunction with other present or futuretechnologies. Terms should not be interpreted as implying any particularorder among or between various steps herein disclosed unless and exceptwhen the order of individual steps is explicitly described. The terms“about,” “approximately,” and “substantially” as used herein denotedeviations from the exact value by +/−10%, preferably by +/−5% and/ordeviations in the form of changes that are insignificant to thefunction.

With initial reference to FIGS. 2-5, an exemplary audio device or earbud100 is described in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The audiodevice 100 is interchangeably referred to herein as an earbud 100 forsimplicity, but such is not intended to limit embodiments to anyparticular forms or functions that may be associated with the term“earbud.” As depicted in FIGS. 2-5, the earbud 100 includes a body 110configured in a bullet-shaped form but other forms can be employed. Forexample, the body 110 might be cylindrical, frustroconical, orspheroidal, among other forms or combinations thereof. The audio device100 is configured for insertion or disposal in an external portion orpinna 10 of a human ear 12, or preferably at least partially into an earcanal 14 of the ear 12, so as to direct an audio output toward and/orinto the ear canal 14 to be heard by a user. As depicted in FIG. 15, insome embodiments, the body 110 may form a portion of a larger audiodevice 100′ such that the body 110 may be insertable into the ear canal14 of a user while a remainder 111 of the device 100′ remains exteriorto the ear canal 14 and/or the ear 12 of the user.

As depicted in FIG. 2, variety of components may be disposed in the body110 and configured for operation of the earbud 100 including a wirelesscommunications unit 112, a processor or logic chip 114, an on-boardmemory 116, a battery 118, an amplifier 120, a microphone 122, and oneor more of a variety of sensors 124, as well as an audio output deviceor speaker 126, among other components. The audio output device isreferred to generally herein as a speaker however such is not intendedto limit the audio device to any particular form of device suitable toproduce an audible output. It is to be understood that one or more ofthese components can be combined or their functions performed by anothercomponent. For example, processors can include memory. Additionally,detail of the connections and communications between the components isnot necessary for conveying an understanding of embodiments of theinvention and is not described in detail herein.

Only one earbud 100 is shown and described herein however such is notintended to limit embodiments of the invention. The earbud 100 istypically employed in pairs with one earbud 100 being disposed in eachear of a user, but may be used alone in a monaural fashion or in groupsgreater than two for use by more than one user simultaneously. Theearbud 100 is preferably configured as a wireless audio device, howeverembodiments such as the earbud 100′ that employs a wire 127 as depictedin FIG. 15 are foreseen and are within the scope of this description.

The body 110 of the earbud 100 includes an output end 128 and a base 130disposed at opposing longitudinal ends of the body 110. The output end128 includes an opening through which sound produced by the speaker 126is directed toward/into the ear canal 14 of the user. The base 130 mayinclude a gripping feature useable by a user to grasp the earbud 100 forinsertion and/or removal from the user's ear 12 or from acharging/storage device, such as an annular ridge 132 that extendsradially outward from the body 110. In another embodiment, the grippingfeature comprises a recessed channel provided instead of or in additionto the annular ridge 132 to aid grasping by a user, e.g. the channel maybe engageable by a user's fingernail.

An exterior surface of the body 110 includes a tracked portion 134extending along at least a portion of the longitudinal length of thebody 110 between the output end 128 and the base 130. Tracks 136 orthreads of the tracked portion 134 may follow a spiral or threadedpattern that encircles the body as it moves axially along the body. Thetracks 136 may be raised or recessed into the surface of the body 110and may include one or more stops 138 along the length thereof. Thestops 138 may similarly be raised or recessed into the surface of thebody 110. In another embodiment, the tracks 136 are replaced withaxially extending grooves or ridges following one or more linear ornon-linear paths. For example, FIG. 16 depicts an axially extending path158 with a plurality of notches 160 that extend generallycircumferentially and/or at an angle relative to the circumference. OrFIG. 17 depicts a step-wise path 162 that includes axially extendingsegments 164 separated by circumferentially extending segments 166. Thenotches 160 and the circumferentially extending segments 166 may operateas the stops 138 to resist axial movement along the respective path 158,162 until an additional axial and/or rotational movement is provided.

An ear tip sleeve 140 is disposed to overlap at least a portion of theexterior surface of the body 110. The sleeve 140 is formed from a thinlayer of a pliable, resilient material such as a rubber, silicon, orsimilar material that is provided as a hollow form configured to receiveat least a portion of the body 110 therein. As depicted in FIGS. 3-5,the layer of material forming the sleeve 140 has a generally constantthickness, but in some embodiments may include one or more sectionshaving increased thicknesses which may aid to shape the sleeve 140 whenflexed as described below as well as to aid durability of the sleeve 140and the fit or frictional characteristics between the sleeve 140 and theear 12 of the user.

In a retracted state (FIG. 3), the ear tip sleeve 140 provides a formthat generally mimics that of the exterior surface of the body 110. Aleading end 142 of the sleeve 140 is fixed against axial movementrelative to the body 110 at or near the output end 128 and extendslongitudinally to a trailing end 144 that is spaced apart from aterminal end of the base 130. In one embodiment, the trailing end 144extends to the annular ridge 132 or to the terminal edge of the base130.

An interior surface of the sleeve 140 near the trailing end 144 mayinclude tracks, threads, or similar features configured to engage thetracks 136 on the exterior surface of the body 110 of the earbud 100. Inone embodiment, the trailing end 144 of the sleeve 140 is coupled to acollar 146 that at least partially encircles the body 110 and includestrack-engagement features 156, protuberances, threads, or other featuresconfigured to mate and/or engage with the tracks 136 of the body 110.

The leading end 142 of the sleeve 140 may be coupled to the body 110 ator near the opening of the output end 128. Alternatively, a mountingring 148 may be rotatably coupled to the body 110 at or near the outputend 128. The mounting ring 148 is rotatable relative to the body 110about the longitudinal axis of the body 110 and is coupled or retainedto the body 110 at or near the leading end 142 of the sleeve 140 toallow the sleeve 140 to rotate relative to the body 110. In anotherembodiment, the leading end 142 of the sleeve 140 may be maintained in afixed axial position but enabled to rotate relative to the body 110. Forexample, the output end 128 of the body 110 may be provided with a wall,ridge, or similar abutment configured to resist axial movement of theleading end 142 of the sleeve 140 toward the output end 128, but also toallow sliding rotational movement of the sleeve 140 along the exteriorsurface of the body 110.

The earbud 100 may be provided with a charging device 149 that includesa built-in battery to supply power to the earbud 100 or that may beelectrically coupled to an available electrical grid to obtain andsupply power to the earbud 100. For example, as depicted in FIGS. 12-13,the charging device 149 may comprise a watch/watch band 150 or a fitnesstracker bracelet 152. The charging device 149 may also be integratedinto a variety of other wearable personal articles including, forexample and not limitation, necklaces, eyeglass frames, augmentedreality or virtual reality headsets, belt buckles, hats, earrings andjewelry, shirts, pants, handbags, backpacks, or the like. Non-wearablepersonal articles such as cases or satchels that are placed in ahandbag, pocket, or hung from a lanyard can also comprise the chargingdevice 149.

In some embodiments, wearable and non-wearable personal articles that donot include charging and/or data transfer capabilities may be providedfor use as storage devices for the earbuds 100. Such storage devices mayinclude similar structures to those described below for the chargingdevice 149 to aid storage and securement of the earbuds 100.

The charging device 149 and the earbud 100 may include mating electricalcontacts that enable electrical coupling therebetween for provision ofpower and/or data therebetween. Alternatively, the charging device 149may employ inductive charging or other wireless means for providingpower and/or data to the earbud 100. The charging device 149 includesone or more receptacles 154 in which the earbud 100 may be disposed forcharging/data communication. The receptacles 154 may be configured as ablind bore in which the earbud 100 can be axially inserted, as depictedin the watch/watch band 150 and fitness tracker bracelet 152 depicted inFIGS. 12 and 13. The receptacle 154 may be dimensioned to receive theearbud 100 only when the ear tip sleeve 140 is in the retracted statewhich may minimize size requirements of the charging device 149. Thereceptacles 154 may take a variety of alternative configurations whichmay also require the sleeve 140 to be in the retracted state. In anotherembodiment, the sleeve 140 may be expanded within the receptacle 154before or after insertion therein to aid retention of the earbud 100within the receptacle 154.

With continued reference to FIGS. 3-11, operation of the earbud 100 isdescribed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. If installed in acharging device 149, the earbuds 100 are removed from the receptacles154 therein. In one embodiment, the charging device 149 includes blindbore-styled receptacles 154 in which the earbuds 100 are installedoutput end 128 first. The user may grasp the annular ridge 132 of thebase 130 by hand or using a fingernail to withdraw the earbud 100 fromthe receptacle 154. The annular ridge 132 may similarly be used duringremoval of the earbud 100 from the ear 12 of the user upon completion ofuse.

The earbuds 100 may be inserted at least partially into respective earcanals 14 of the user, output end 128 first, as depicted in FIG. 14.Preferably, the base 130 remains outside of the ear canal 14 to enablegrasping thereof for removal from the ear canal 14 when so desired. Theearbud 100 and the ear tip sleeve 140 are dimensioned for use by userswith a range of ear canal 14 sizes, i.e., interior diameter of the earcanal 14. The earbud 100 and ear tip sleeve 140, in the retracted state(depicted in FIGS. 3, 6, and 7) preferably provide an outer diameter orsize that is smaller than or equal to an average minimum size of humanear canals 14. However, smaller or larger dimensions may be employed.

When properly adjusted or sized, the ear tip sleeve 140 may contact theinterior surface of the ear canal 14 to provide a frictional resistanceto removal of the earbud 100 from the ear canal 14 and to cushion thefit between the earbud 100 and the interior of the ear canal 14. Surfacefeatures and/or surface roughness may be provided on an exterior surfaceof the ear tip sleeve 140 to aid frictional engagement with the interiorsurface of the ear canal 14.

In user's having small ear canals 14, such a fit might be achieved withthe ear tip sleeve 140 in the retracted state. If necessary, such as forusers having ear canals with greater than the minimum averagesize/diameter, the user adjusts the overall diameter of the ear tipsleeve 140 to provide a desired fit with the user's respective earcanals 14. This may be accomplished prior to installation of the earbud100 into the user's ear canal 14, after installation, or as atrial-and-error process whereby the user selects a sleeve dimension,tests the fit, and then repeats the process as needed.

To adjust the ear tip size, the collar 146 of the ear tip sleeve 140 (orthe trailing end 144 of the sleeve 140 when no collar 146 is provided)is rotated relative to the body 110. The tracked coupling between thecollar 146 and the body 110 causes axial movement of the collar 146toward the output end 128 of the body 110 as the collar 146 is rotatedin a first direction. FIGS. 4, 8, and 9 depict axial movement of thecollar 146 partially along the length of the body 110 to an intermediateposition while FIGS. 5, 10, and 11 depict axial movement of the collar146 to a full extent. The greater the extent of the movement of thecollar 146 toward the output end 128 the greater the radial expansion ofthe sleeve 140 as described more fully below.

Interaction between the collar 146 and the stops 138 may provide aresistance to rotational movement of the collar 146 relative to the body110 that operates to maintain the collar 146 in a particular positionrelative to the body 110 and thus maintains the ear tip sleeve 140 in anassociated position. The interaction between the collar 146 and thestops 138 may provide a tactile indication to the user that theparticular position has been reached. In another embodiment, africtional engagement between the collar 146 and/or an interior surfaceof the ear tip sleeve 140 and the body 110 is sufficient to retain theposition of the collar 146 relative to the body 110.

Resilience of the material from which the ear tip sleeve 140 is formedmay be employed to maintain engagement of the collar 146 with the stops138. For example, the ear tip sleeve 140 may be biased to return to theoriginal, retracted state. Such bias in the sleeve 140 material may urgethe collar 146 and/or any protuberance thereon into engagement with thestops 138. The bias may be in an axial direction and/or a rotationaldirection.

The interaction between the stops 138 and the collar 146 may be overcomeby application of an additional rotational force to enable furtherrotation of the collar 146. As depicted in FIGS. 3-11, the stop 138 maycomprise a detent or shallow depression and moving beyond the stop 138may require a small additional rotational force to overcome engagementof a track-engagement feature 156 on the interior wall of the collar 146with the detent 138 followed by further rotational movement along thetracks 136. In other embodiments, the stop 138 and the collar 146 mayengage by a mechanical means which requires actuation of a lever orsimilar component to disengage the collar 146 from the stop 138, or thecollar 146 may require an axial or other movement to disengage the stop138, among other forms of engagement/disengagement between the stops 138and the collar 146.

Axial movement of the collar 146 relative to the body 110 causes theportion of ear tip sleeve 140 between the leading end 142 and thetrailing end 144 to flex radially outward away from the body 110 in amushroom-like fashion and thus increases the overall diameter of the eartip sleeve 140. Additional rotation and axial movement of the collar 146toward the output end 128 further increases the diameter of the ear tipsleeve 140 up to a maximum diameter. The maximum diameter may correspondwith or be slightly larger than an average maximum diameter of user'sear canals 14. For example, in the retracted position, the sleeve 140may have a diametrical dimension of about 5 millimeters (mm) to about 9mm or preferably about 6 mm; in the intermediate position thediametrical dimension may be about 7 mm to about 11 mm or preferablyabout 9 mm; and in the full extent the diametrical dimension may beabout 10 mm to about 15 mm or preferably about 12 mm, however otherdimensions may be employed without departing from the scope ofembodiments described herein. Additional positions may also be providedbetween the retracted and full extent positions. The user may thusselectively adjust the rotation/axial movement of the collar 146 toachieve a diameter of the ear tip sleeve 140 that provides a desired fitwith the user's ear canal 14.

The desired fit between the ear tip sleeve 140 and the user's ear canal14 preferably fully seals the ear canal, e.g. no air gaps between theear tip sleeve 140 and the interior wall of the ear canal 14 andprovides sufficient frictional engagement to retain the earbud 100 inthe ear canal 14 when the user is engaged in moderate activity. However,the user can adjust the ear tip sleeve 140 through rotational/axialmovement of the collar 146 to provide a lighter fit or a tighter fit asdesired. Typically a desired fit at least partially deforms the ear tipsleeve 140 at least partially from its expanded state to conform to theear canal 14.

When use of the earbud 100 is no longer desired, the earbud 100 isremoved from the user's ear canal 14. The ear tip sleeve 140 may bereturned to the retracted position by rotation of the collar 146 in anopposite second direction to move the collar 146 toward the base 130.The earbud 100 may be replaced in the charging device 149 for charging.

The shape or form taken by the ear tip sleeve 140 when flexed outwardlymay be contoured by adjusting the thickness profile of the ear tipsleeve 140 materials to stiffen or weaken portions thereof, among othermethods. The ear tip sleeve 140 is configured to provide a symmetriccircular form that may deform to conform to asymmetrically shaped earcanals 14 of users. In some embodiments, the ear tip sleeve 140 includesa non-circular and/or an asymmetric form when flexed radially outward.

In one embodiment, the ear tip sleeve 140 is coupled to the output end128 of the body and thus also flexes or stretches circumferentiallybetween the output end 128 and the collar 146 as the collar 146 isrotated. In another embodiment, the leading end 142 of the ear tipsleeve 140 is coupled to the mounting ring 148 which is rotatablycoupled to the output end 128 of the body 110. As such, rotation of thecollar 146 also acts to rotate the mounting ring 148 through the ear tipsleeve 140 which extends therebetween and relieves circumferentialflexing or stretching of the ear tip sleeve 140.

In another embodiment, the ear tip sleeve 140 is formed to provide abias toward the expanded position (FIGS. 5, 10, and 11) instead oftoward the retracted position (FIGS. 3, 6, and 7). In such anarrangement, the collar 146, stops 138, and tracks 136 or correspondingstructures are configured oppositely to operate or counteract axialforces applied in the opposite axial direction. For example, thestructures are configured to retain the ear tip sleeve 140 in theretracted position rather than to retain the ear tip sleeve 140 in theexpanded position as described above. Additionally, in use onceinstalled in the ear canal 14 of the user, the ear tip sleeve 140 may bereleased from the retracted position and allowed to move toward theexpanded position. The ear tip sleeve 140 may thus expand to fill thespace between the earbud 100 and the interior of the ear canal 14 and toapply a sufficient force on the ear canal wall to frictionally retainthe earbud 100 within the ear canal 14. Such an arrangement wouldautomatically adjust to the size of the user's ear canal 14.

Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as wellas components not shown, are possible without departing from the scopeof the claims below. Embodiments of the technology have been describedwith the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternativeembodiments will become apparent to readers of this disclosure after andbecause of reading it. Alternative means of implementing theaforementioned can be completed without departing from the scope of theclaims below. Identification of structures as being configured toperform a particular function in this disclosure and in the claims belowis intended to be inclusive of structures and arrangements or designsthereof that are within the scope of this disclosure and readilyidentifiable by one of skill in the art and that can perform theparticular function in a similar way. Certain features andsub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference toother features and sub-combinations and are contemplated within thescope of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An audio device with an adjustable ear tip, theaudio device comprising: a body having an at least partially cylindricalform with an output end through which an audible output produced by theaudio device is directed; a sleeve that at least partially overlies anexterior surface of the body, the sleeve having a leading end and atrailing end, the leading end being retained against axial movementrelative to the body, the trailing end being movable axially toward theleading end, movement of the trailing end toward the leading endexpanding at least a portion of the sleeve radially outward from thebody to form an ear tip; a track extending axially along the body; and atrack-engagement feature disposed between the sleeve and the body andfollowing the track as the track-engagement feature is moved along thebody, the track-engagement feature following the track to move thetrailing end of the sleeve toward the leading end when the trailing endis rotated about a longitudinal axis of the body.
 2. The audio device ofclaim 1, wherein the sleeve includes a hollow, substantiallycylindrical, interior form and extends along the exterior surface of thebody from the output end toward an opposite end of the body, and whereinthe sleeve is biased to lie alongside the body.
 3. The audio device ofclaim 1, wherein the track follows a spiral pattern along the body. 4.The audio device of claim 1, wherein the track follows a linear pathalong the body.
 5. The audio device of claim 1, wherein the trackfollows a stepwise path along the body.
 6. The audio device of claim 1,wherein the track includes one or more stops that are engageable by thetrack-engagement feature to releasable retain the track-engagementfeature, and wherein engagement of the track-engagement feature with oneof the stops retains the sleeve in one of a plurality of radiallyexpanded positions.
 7. The audio device of claim 1, further comprising:a collar coupled to the sleeve and including the track-engagementfeature.
 8. The audio device of claim 1, further comprising: a mountingring rotatably coupled to the output end of the body and fixedly coupledto the leading end of the sleeve, the mounting ring enabling rotation ofthe sleeve about a longitudinal axis of the body.
 9. The audio device ofclaim 1, further comprising: a ridge disposed on the body opposite theoutput end and extending at least partially circumferentially about thebody, the ridge being graspable by a user.
 10. The audio device of claim1, further comprising: a charging device that includes a receptacleconfigured to receive the body and the sleeve, the sleeve being in aretracted position in which the sleeve is not expanded radially outwardfrom the body.
 11. The audio device of claim 10, wherein the chargingdevice is integrated in to a wearable personal article comprising one ormore of a watch, a watch band, a fitness tracker, and a bracelet.
 12. Amethod for adjusting a fit between an audio device and an ear canal, themethod comprising: providing an audio device having a body and a sleeve,the body having an at least partially cylindrical form with an outputend through which an audio output produced by the audio device isdirected and including a track that extends at least partially axiallyalong the body, the sleeve having a leading end, a trailing end oppositethe leading end, and a hollow interior form into which at least aportion of the body is disposed, the leading end of the sleeve beingretained against axial movement relative to the body, and the sleeveincluding a track-engagement feature; moving the track-engagementfeature along the track to move the trailing end axially toward theleading end from a first axial position to a second axial position, themoving flexing at least a portion of the sleeve radially outward fromthe body to provide an ear tip with a first radial dimension; andretaining the trailing end at the second axial position.
 13. The methodof claim 12, further comprising: moving the trailing end axially towardthe leading end from the second axial position to a third axialposition, the moving flexing the portion of the sleeve radially outwardfrom the body to provide the ear tip with a second radial dimension thatis greater than the first radial dimension; and retaining the trailingend of the sleeve at the third axial position.
 14. The method of claim12, wherein moving the trailing end axially toward the leading endfurther comprises: rotating the trailing end about a longitudinal axisof the body.
 15. An audio device with an adjustable ear tip, the audiodevice comprising: a body having an at least partially cylindrical formwith an output end through which an audible output produced by the audiodevice is directed, and a track formed in an exterior surface of thebody and extending at least partially axially along the body; a sleevethat at least partially overlies an exterior surface of the body, thesleeve having a leading end and a trailing end, the leading end beingretained against axial movement relative to the body, the trailing endbeing movable axially toward the leading end, movement of the trailingend toward the leading end expanding at least a portion of the sleeveradially outward from the body to provide an ear tip with a first radialdimension; and a collar disposed at least partially between the trailingend of the sleeve and the body and including a track-engagement featureconfigured to engage and follow the track as the trailing end of thesleeve is moved toward the leading end.
 16. The audio device of claim15, wherein the trailing end of the sleeve is biased to move away fromthe leading end.
 17. The audio device of claim 15, wherein the trailingend of the sleeve is biased to move toward the leading end.